Scanning communicator

1. A scanning communicator for use with a bar code and a machine readable electronic label comprising: at least one optical transceiver; and circuitry operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to scan said bar code while in a bar code scanning mode and communicate with said machine readable electronic label while in a machine readable electronic label communications mode, said circuitry also being operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to intermittently transmit light pulses representative of a predetermined bar code to a machine reader in generally the same pattern received by a bar code reader when reading a conventional bar code.

2. A scanning communicator according to claim 1 and further comprising a selector operative to switch said circuitry to be activated in either of said modes.

3. A scanning communicator according to claim 1 wherein said optical transceiver comprises at least one optical transmitter and at least one optical receiver.

4. A scanning communicator according to claim 1 and further comprising a plurality of said optical transceivers, and wherein at least one of said plurality of said optical transceivers operates in said bar code scanning mode concurrently with at least another of said plurality of said optical transceivers operating in said electronic label communications mode.

5. A scanning communicator according to claim 1 wherein said at least one optical transceiver is operative to communicate with a central computer for data transmission between said at least one optical transceiver and said central computer.

6. A bar code and electronic label system comprising: at least one bar code; a machine readable electronic label; and a scanning communicator comprising; at least one optical transceiver; and circuitry operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to scan said bar code while in a bar code scanning mode and communicate with said machine readable electronic label while in a machine readable electronic label communications mode, said circuitry also being operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to intermittently transmit light pulses representative of a predetermined bar code to a machine reader in generally the same pattern received by a bar code reader when reading a conventional bar code.

7. A bar code and electronic label system according to claim 6 and further comprising a selector operative to switch said circuitry to be activated in either of said modes.

8. A bar code and electronic label system according to claim 6 and further comprising an optical power converter operative to convert power transmitted from at least one of said scanning communicator and ambient light into energy usable by said at least one machine readable electronic label.

9. A machine readable electronic label comprising: at least one optical transceiver; and circuitry operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to intermittently transmit light pulses representative of a predetermined bar code to a machine reader in generally the same pattern received by a bar code reader when reading a conventional bar code.

10. An electronic label according to claim 9 wherein said circuitry is operative to cause said optical transceiver to intermittently transmit light pulses thereby emulating a reflected light pattern of said predetermined bar code.

11. An electronic label according to claim 9 and further comprising a memory for storing said predetermined bar code.

12. An electronic label according to claim 9 wherein said circuitry is additionally operative to cause said optical transceiver to communicate in an electronic label communication mode.

13. An electronic label according to claim 9 wherein said optical transceiver comprises at least one optical transmitter and at least one optical receiver.

14. An electronic label according to claim 13 and further comprising a plurality of said optical transceivers, and wherein at least one of said plurality of said optical transceivers operates in a bar code illumination detection mode concurrently with at least another of said plurality of said optical transceivers operating in a bar code transmission mode.

15. A self-scanning system comprising: at least one item; at least one bar code associated with said item; at least one machine readable electronic label associated with said item; and a scanning communicator comprising: at least one optical transceiver; and circuitry operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to scan said bar code while in a bar code scanning made and communicate with said machine readable electronic label while in a machine readable electronic label communications mode, said circuitry also being operative to cause at least one optical transceiver to intermittently transmit light pulses representative of a predetermined bar code to a machine reader in generally the same pattern received by a bar code reader when reading a conventional bar code, wherein said scanning communicator is operative to autonomously switch between either of said modes without the intervention of a user.

16. A customer loyalty system comprising: at least one item; at least one machine readable electronic label associated with said item; and a mobile unit operative to communicate with said at least one machine readable electronic label, said mobile unit comprising a loyal customer identification; a scanning communicator comprising: at least one optical transceiver; and circuitry operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to communicate with said mobile unit and receive said loyal customer identification from said mobile unit, said circuitry also being operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to intermittently transmit light pulses representative of a predetermined bar code to a machine reader in generally the same pattern received by a bar code reader when reading a conventional bar code.

17. A shelf restocking system comprising: at least one shelf; at least one machine readable electronic label associated with said shelf comprising: at least one optical transceiver; and circuitry operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to intermittently transmit light pulses thereby emulating a reflected light pattern of a predetermined bar code to a machine reader in generally the same pattern received by a bar code reader when reading a conventional bar code; and a computer in communicate with said at least one machine readable electronic label and operative to configure said at least one machine readable electronic label with said predetermined bar code.